Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-02-19

love 70 tdAe n1S plaCo IN my ne0fSs Wn0r(
II have crowned You Donald '.my king"
There are later entries showing thu
work OF busy, earnest woman, one Wit
has large means and larger heart anG
who employs both in interest OF humani
ty. The book seemed to have been used
as refuge, when the burdened hear,
needed an outlet, sometimes years elapsed
between entries, and the last entry Wa
dated only few days before our story
opens.
Feb. 10, 1865.
Hilda my pretty namesake, aged Ii is very
much enamored of Maud Deans son, Don
aid, and told me to-day that he had prom
ised to send her valentine. It made me
think of another day long passed, when an
other Hilda expected valentine from q
| Donald and it never came. Dear child, aunt
Hilda hopes that niece Hilda will carry no
hidden grief through life, as one before her
has done.
I also learned from Hilda that Uncle
Donald" is coming home at last, oh my
heart! how long I have waited for sight of
his dear face. Twenty-Five years; It is q
whole life time and yet will count it &c
nothing if I may but see him once more.
Her reading was interrupted by Hilda
who came flying in with angry red spots
on either cheek, and dropping a large
square envelope into her Aunt Hilds's
lap, said irritably. ''There auntie, it is
too you after ALL" and she flung out of
the room.
Hilda looked at it in amazement. The
envelope bore faded address over
which fresh one had been written.
The first was in round bold hand which
Hilda recognized at once as Donald
Deans. The last writing was in cramped
boyish characters and both addresses
to were Miss Hilda Lane. She drew from
the envelope folded card embellished
with lace edges, and stamped about the
margin with flowers, cupids and doves in
valentine fashion. On the first page was
al ardent verse from supposed love-lorn
swain to bis lady love, on the inside, in
The same bold chirography and faded
ink was letter dated Feb. IA, 1850,
and beginning:
DEAR HILDA:-I have SO often named you
thus in my heart, that you will pardon its
use here. My dear one, love yeu. know
I am old and grave, but if you can trust your
happiness in my keeping, will devote my
life to serving you. Serd me but word of
encouragement and I will go to you, hoping
to gain the sweet promise from your dear
lips. If you do not love me, your silence
will tell me all, and as we'll as we can, we
willlet the old life go on just as it used to do.
always your friend,
DoN4LD DEAN.
The last entry in the blue and gold
book tells the rest Of the story in Hilda's
own way.
After reading Donald's letter the
past was make as plain as day to me. Maud
must have read and hidden it, but I could
not imagine how it came in Donald Jr.,
hands, or what had possessed him to send it
to Hilda. So sought her for an explana-
ton, she said she didn't know how he came
to send it, and was Tery indignant to think
be had sent her warmed over affection, as
she termed it, and said she would write and
ask him where he got it. left the letter
with her and went to my room, but had not
to the parlor, on entering was met at thi
door by Donald. He he:d in his hand hs
letter of twenty-fv years before. Greeting
me in his usual courtly way, he lead me to
the window where we stood when We parted
go long ago, and placing the letter in my
hand, begged me to explain the scrawllng
characters found thereon. read in Hilda's
uniformed writing.
Dear Douald:-This letter is Aunt Hilda's
and she ought to have had it years and years
ago, now you naughty boy tell where you got
it, for she never saw it before. HILDA.
p. s. 1t is real mean Of you to send me
warmed over love, and / won't have it.
Looking Donald straight in the eyes re-
piled, 81 never saw it till to-day, when the
postman gave it to Hilda, end she says it
came from Donald, your dead sisters child"
"And so it did Hilda. Donald was too i'll to
leave the house and rumaging for something
to make valentine of, found this among
his mothers papers, and not being very par
ticular used it and so it has come to its own
at last.
Hilda have waited twenty-five years for
my answer. 1 am old and gray, while you
seem to have only ripened into nobler wo-
but my heart calls for you just as
strong as it did quarter of a century ago.
May I have my answer now?" He held out
his arms for me and as felt their strong
tirm hold about me and his kisses on brow,
cheek and lips. felt that in very truth had
the King come to his own again."
A single fact is worth ship load o